Light therapy as a treatment for jet lag

Rapidly traveling across several time zones creates a shift between your body’s internal clock and the new external time. As a result of this you suffer from sleeping problems and feel moody and low on energy. If you stay in a different time zone for more than a few days, you may want to shift your body clock to the new time zone to balance out some of these jet lag symptoms. This way you will sleep better and be more alert and energetic when you are awake.

One of the best strategies to combat jet lag is to shift your body clock a day or two before you leave. We recommend the rechargable Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device for adjusting your body’s internal clock to different timezones because of its small size and portability.

Traveling east
When you travel east , start using the Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device in the morning two to three days before you leave. The number of time zones you travel corresponds to the hours your body clock has to shift. If you are only traveling a few time zones, one day’s preparation is sufficient. Add a day of light therapy for each additional 2 time zones. For example, for a trip from the US to Europe, use the following schedule: On the first day, wake up an hour early and use the goLITE BLU energy light for 30–45 minutes. On the next day or days, you should wake up a couple of hours earlier and repeat this process. You should advance your bedtime accordingly.

Once you arrive at your destination, avoid light before 10 a.m. local time (wear sunglasses) and use the goLITE BLU energy light in the midmorning to fully adjust to the local time. When returning, use your goLITE BLU energy light in the late evening for a couple of nights before the return flight. On the last night of the trip, try to stay up and use your goLITE BLU energy light as late as reasonably possible past midnight. On the day of the flight, avoid any bright light until after 2:00 p.m.

Traveling west
Since most people’s body clocks adjust more easily to later time zones, you should not have to use the goLITE BLU energy light when you travel 3 time zones or less. You should only need to use your goLITE BLU energy light for one day before travelling 4 time zones, and add an additional preparation day for each 3 time zones. You should not have to use the goLITE BLU energy light for more than 3 days, even on the longer westbound trips. For example, when travelling from London to Los Angeles, use your goLITE BLU energy light for 30–40 minutes in the late evening (and again a couple of hours later, if you can) each night, starting 2-3 days before you leave. Use the goLITE BLU energy light 2-3 hours later each successive night.

When you arrive at your destination, try to stay awake until bedtime and avoid bright evening light (wear sunglasses) for the first few days. Before you travel home, avoid any bright afternoon and evening light and use your goLITE BLU energy light in the morning for a few days